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Vocabulary is Learned in Context
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9 thoughts on “Vocabulary is Learned in Context”
That is awesome! I’m so inspired by what I read on these posts. Today, I did a free-write for the first time. I am focused on teaching the students how to describe people, so we first created an imaginary man — a short, bald, fat, old, poor, angry man, wearing a pink dress and big orange socks and a green “president Lincoln” hat. The class artist created a perfect picture. My students and I were laughing so hard… Then we did a little reading about Pauvre Anne (Blaine Ray), focusing on the description, circling… Finally, I showed them a “family tree” of the Griffins from Family Guy. (this is a 90 minute block class) I asked them to pick one and write for 10 minutes describing this person. The results? Hilarious, with lots of small mistakes, but rich in language and detail such as I have never before seen this early in the year. Yes, I gave them vocabulary to use, but it was all used in context before they saw the list. The best part was that since we had played with the language so much up to this point, they were for the most part light and funny and silly with their descriptions. Some of them created little stories for their characters too!
It is astounding how they play with language when they’re not busy memorizing or fearing mistakes. I think you’re right, that the brain works better this way. But I also think that removing the affective barrier is just as important as context.
…It is astounding how they play with language when they’re not busy memorizing or fearing mistakes….
Wow!
Yes! It’s beautiful as you and hear the students develop their language before your ears. you said “removing the affective barrier is just as important as context.” Yes. I we all need to add something that breaks the barrier down. I think my thing is comments in L1 that use internet style slang. I pick up on it from the students and ask what is it and double check if it is appropriate or not. Words like “cringe” and “Yeet” come to mind.
…a short, bald, fat, old, poor, angry man, wearing a pink dress and big orange socks and a green “president Lincoln” hat….
That one is one of the best I’ve ever heard. Tell that class that one of their fans got a good belly laugh out of that. Whoever came up with the Pres. Lincoln idea on the hat is going to be a stand up comic. Wonderful! We may be whacky in the work we do and how we do it, but we’re not bored and we’re not stupid. Congratulations, Jennifer!
The other thing that got me was that he was angry. Totally unexpected and didn’t fit the image. That kind of juxtaposition of ideas in one word images, the contradictions between facts, brings life and interest to the creative process.
Jennifer if you can take a photo of the fat man I would like to share it with the group. benslavic@yahoo.com
…[their writing]… had lots of small mistakes…
In my view, those are not mistakes. They are indicators of language gains which, if left uncorrected, will fix themselves over time. That’s my interpretation of the research.
Dana thank you for this story. It’s just so important. What don’t they understand about how we can’t tie language learning to a set of lists? It’s probably easier to catch a falling star.
I think it’s important too. And I think it’s important to educate the parents. If they get it, then our job will be much easier. Because they’ll help us fight for it. In my experience, parents are often more successful at getting admin to accept things or make changes than teachers are.
Yes that is a good point. I remember in New Delhi when I was there there were a few moms who at the beginning of the year were really in my face bc of their now experience collecting As in college and being the best grammar students ever.
One, upon my invitation, would to come to class every day (not the one with her daughter in it) and participate. It took a while, but over time she had the middle school principal as educated as she was going to get in CI.
We are not going to be as successful as parents because the balance of power is naturally with the admins over us so how could we possibly know what is best? I mean, everybody knows that if there were no hospital administrators then the surgeons would never know what the hell to do in the operating rooms.